What do you do?

How many times have you been asked this question? Too many times to count? Since I became a long term care planning specialist, I’ve sometimes struggled with how to answer this question. How do I describe what I do? Sell insurance? Well, sometimes people purchase long term care insurance through me, but that’s a result of what I do, not the purpose.

Here’s the long version; I help people create a plan for how, where and by whom they want to be cared for in the event they cannot care for themselves due to illness, disability or the frailty of old age. I help them protect those they love from the potentially devastating effects on their physical, emotional and financial well being should a need for long term care arise. If they indicate they would like to be able to pay someone to provide care so that those they love would not have to, I help them determine how to best create, preserve and allocate the funds necessary to do so. If that plan includes purchasing long term care insurance I help them find a company and policy that meets both their needs and their budget.

Of course people don’t want a long explanation of exactly how I help people plan for long term care when they ask the question “What do you do?” So, I’ve tried to come up with a short answer. I finally settled on “I make people uncomfortable and when I do, they thank me for it.” Of course that creates more questions than it answers, but it is true. Then I give them my card and suggest they go to my website and read the preface and introduction to my e-book, Growing Old Without a Plan for Long Term Care is not for Sissies. The preface talks about my Dad and his need for care and the introduction explains what the book is about. Together, they present a pretty good picture of what I do and why I do it.

People don’t want to think about getting older. It makes them uncomfortable as we discuss what getting older might mean to themselves and to those they love. But if I don’t help them think about it and plan for it, who will? So, I make them uncomfortable for awhile. But then, when I’ve helped them answer some pretty important questions and create a plan for long term care, they thank me for doing so. I have to admit, that feels pretty good. I like what I do and I hope I can continue to do it for years to come.

Your email is safe with us.

Contact Informaton

Let’s Talk

It's tough to think about and even more difficult to talk about. But it's critical that we do think...and talk about a time when we may not be able to care for ourselves due to illness, disability or the frailness of old age.
Watch Rob Lowe, Maria Shriver, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Angela Bassett, Zachary Quinto and Jim Nantz share their experiences in this video by Genworth.
Isn't it time to have the talk with those you love? GracePoint Long Term Care Planning can help.